LIRT Conference Program -- 2006

The LIRT Annual Conference Program will feature low-threshold technologies to use in library instruction. Following the opening presentation by Dr. Tim McGee, Associate Professor and Director of the Instructional Design and Technology Program in Philadelphia University's School of Design and Media, attendees will be able to visit many e-poster sessions and talk with librarians who use technologies such as Camtasia, iChat, SMART Board, and Sony's Sound Forge in their instruction.

Come early (8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.) for the LIRT Membership Fair, also in Morial Convention Center, rooms 353-355, to learn about the Library Instruction Round Table and enter to win a variety of prizes related to technology and library instruction.

Dr. Tim McGee, Director of Graduate Programs, School of Design and Media, will open the Technology Fair with a presentation on "Instructional Design for Teaching and Learning in Libraries". Dr. McGee is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in Philadelphia University's School of Design and Media where he pursues his scholarly interests in computer-based rhetorical pedagogy, argument from the locus of quantity, and the intersections of Artificial Intelligence and Language Arts curricula, especially Grammar Checkers and the machine scoring of student essays. He has published articles in Text Technology, Kairos, JTW: The Journal of Teaching Writing, Computers and Composition, and in edited collections on digital technologies and composition studies. He is currently working on a National Science Foundation project to teach web design and e-commerce to Native Alaskan students.

Dr. McGee's presentation will be followed by the opportunity to browse through a "E-posters", where instruction librarians will demonstrate how they have put these technologies to use in their organizations.

The E-posters

Veronica Bielat, Wayne State University
Camtasia Tutorials
Technology allows us to connect library tutorials with students without human intervention. But in order to effectively deliver online information literacy instruction, it is important that librarians collaborate with faculty to develop online instructional resources that are relevant to content, course goals and student learning needs. This e-poster session will describe a recent university funded Innovative Instructional Technology Faculty Grant project, which linked the development and deployment of online library tutorials with required English courses. Tutorials were developed by Librarians using Camtasia Software in accordance with needs defined collaboratively with English Department Faculty. The tutorials and supporting materials were deployed as Learning Units in the course's Blackboard Site. The Camtasia tutorials will be demonstrated live as part of this e-poster session.

Ernie Cox, St. Timothy's SchoolLibrarians in Context: Digital Learning Objects and Library Instruction
Digital resources and environments are a permanent facet of the library instruction landscape. Open source Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) offer librarians an inexpensive and flexible means by which to lead online instruction efforts using digital learning objects. This e-poster session will describe the implementation of one such LCMS, ATutor, in a middle school setting.

Crystal Gale, Missouri State University
Using SMART Board Wireless Technology in Interactive Library Instruction
This e-poster session will demonstrate the capabilities of the SMART Board Airliner wireless slate. SMART Board wireless interactivity turns your computer and projector into a powerful tool for teaching, collaborating and presenting. This tool frees the instructor from the confines of the podium, allowing movement throughout the room, thereby encouraging an active learning environment. Considerably less expensive than the full-size SMART board, the slate is an excellent choice for a multitude of educational settings. Come to this session for a demonstration of interactive library instruction using SMART Board technology.

Deborah Gaspar, The George Washington University
Partnership for Learning: Computers as Collaborators
Electronic classrooms provide students with hands-on learning opportunities and provide instructional librarians with an arena for lessons incorporating active learning strategies. What, exactly, is the role of the computer in this context? A review of the research indicates there are three interesting perspectives:

Each scenario presents challenges and opportunities for the instructional librarian. This e-poster session will graphically depict and describe the three perspectives. Handouts will include references.

Sigrid Kelsey and Mitch Fontenot, Louisiana State University
Using Macromedia's Flash for a Library Research Tutorial
This e-poster session will demonstrate "A Pizza the Action," a tutorial on Boolean operators using Macromedia's Flash. This five minute tutorial uses the analogy of merging pizza ingredients to explain how Boolean operators function.

Andrew Lokie, Missouri State University
Podcasting & iChat in Library Instruction
This e-poster session will present technology applications for iChat and Podcasting, using Apple computer hardware systems to produce, store and deliver information and instruction. This technology can provide Internet on-time access to information and/or instruction; media files in the form of text, audio, and video materials; and conferencing capabilities. Examples for distributing LIS programs, library information or processes, and other instructional applications will be provided

Eileen Stec, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Lights! Cameras! Action! Where's the sound?
Fully engaging the Millenials for the purpose of information literacy instruction requires multi-media. What is often left out is the use of music and/or dialogue. Some authoring programs now include recording features with limited editing capacities. However, there are more sophisticated editing features at the instructional designer's disposal, without becoming a sound engineer. This e-poster session will demonstrate production of audio (specifically, dialogue) used to enhance two Web tutorials. Software demonstrated will include Microsoft's Sound Recorder application and Sony's Sound Forge application.

Scott Warren, North Carolina State University, and Steve Meyer, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The NCSU Libraries' Curriculum Integrated Instruction Toolkit
This e-poster session will focus on the metadata repository developed in order to facilitate online access to instruction documents. Librarians enter information into the database and upload their documents to a web server so that they can be accessed online in a dynamic browser environment. The Dublin Core metadata scheme forms the foundation for our database model because it is the instruction document that exists at the center of this portion of the online environment. The standard Dublin Core set of sixteen elements is well suited to our task because it was designed for online materials and provides a framework that meets our basic requirements:

A method for uniquely identifying individual documents

The framework for enhanced access in a browsable environment

The ability to create relationships among instruction documents

Richenda Wilkenson, Alison Bobal, Anne-Marie Dietering, Margaret Mellinger, and Loretta Rielly, Oregon State University
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: A Strategic Approach to Learning Objects for Library Instruction
In this e-poster session, we will demonstrate the methods and workflow we are using to build learning objects. After selecting which outcomes to address with learning objects, we investigated best practices and potential partners on campus. We will share how we chose our production software, created content, developed graphics, and recorded screen captures. We will also demonstrate our process for doing usability testing on the completed learning objects and for integrating them into university curriculum and library resources at the students' point of need.

Lisa Williams, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Interactive Teaching Using the Student Response System
Randall Library uses an interactive, real time question-and-answer system allowing instructors to gauge student understanding of the material presented and making library instruction more exciting for students. Questions come in several formats; yes/no, multiple choice, yes/no/maybe, opinion response, confidence, and interactive graphics. Overall, this innovative teaching technique is very easy to use, for both the instructor and students, and adds excitement and involvement to library instruction.